Arizona leads U.S. in rate of surging COVID-19 cases
Download mp3 (1.24 MB)Much of the country is recovering from the most recent COVID-19 surge, even as the reality sets in that the coronavirus is here to stay.
But Arizona is still riding the wave, leading the U.S. with a 50% bump in cases over the past two weeks.
In a press briefing, Joshua LaBaer, director of Arizona State University's Biodesign Institute, said rates of coronavirus transmission, hospitalization and ICU use ought to be decreasing since the last surge, but that hasn't happened.
"We have not seen an appreciable drop in weeks now, and that surprises me. So, I think that reminds us that we're not back to normal yet."
Hospitalizations are trending toward younger, unvaccinated patients, although older people and those with comorbidities still face significant risk, even if vaccinated. Only 21% of Arizonans under the age of 20 have received a vaccination dose, compared to 93% of people 65 and older.
